Nestlé’s Sweet Earth moves into snacking aisle with plant-based jerky

Jerky has been a popular category that producers of faux meat are increasingly cultivating, driven by consumers growing adoption of plant-based diets, along with the intensifying snackification movement and the demand for clean and nutritious grab-and-go snacking options.

IRI data has shown that during the pandemic alone, jerky products have seen a 20% rise in demand. And, as more people prefer to snack on protein over carbohydrates, the plant-based jerky market specifically has grown 38% since 2018.

Wheat gluten-based

To capitalise on the demand, Nestlé’s Sweet Earth brand is debuting in the snacking aisle with two varieties of plant-based jerky.

Sweet Earth’s Spicy Kung Pao Jerky is made with the iconic flavours of the Szechuan Province with hits of spicy ginger and fiery cracked red peppercorns, while Sweet Korean BBQ features soy sauce and gochujang peppers for off-the-wall savoury deliciousness. Both of the wheat gluten-based offerings pack 13g of protein, and contain no artificial flavourings or colourings.

“We are going beyond the bun to provide consumers a variety of flavour-forward plant-based offerings for various occasions,”​ said Sara Wheeler, Sweet Earth’s general manager.

“Our new plant-based Jerky addresses flexitarian consumers’ need for a convenient, on-the-go source of plant protein, with bold flavours and the same authentic mouthwatering meaty taste and texture of traditional jerky that they crave.”​

The Spicy Kung Pao Jerky variant will be available on shelves and online from this month, while the roll-out of the Sweet Korean BBQ variant will follow later this year.